Japanese NGO “Peace Boat” Calls for an End to the War in Gaza from Port Said, Egypt
(AWP) - A huge cruise ship travelling the world docked in the Egyptian city of Port Said on Wednesday, carrying a message of peace to the world, calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, as the Israeli war on the Strip approaches its fifth week.
Volunteers hung a large banner reading “Stop the killing in Gaza” on board the ship, which carries 1,800 passengers and visits several countries around the world.
Dozens of passengers also organised a protest in Port Said attended by the head of the Egyptian Journalists Syndicate, Khaled El-Balshy, during which they called for an immediate end to the war in Gaza.
Sumi Takayiama, director of the global cruise, said, "We put this banner on the ship specifically to call for a ceasefire and an end to the killing in Gaza."
She said, "Because we have a large ship that goes to different places, we wanted to put a big banner to appeal to the international community and the world that what is happening now in Gaza is unacceptable."
Israel has rejected regional and global demands for a ceasefire in Gaza, continuing its bombing and military operations in the Strip since the outbreak of war on October 7th.
The trip is part of the Peace Boat’s 115th Global Voyage to build bridges between cultures. The Japanese non-profit organization’s mission is to promote peace, human rights and sustainable development through educational and cultural exchange programmes.